Games aren’t too long, they’re too boring

Because my coming of age more or less coincided with that of the computer industry, I’ve followed the evolution of PC gaming from the early 1980s to the present. I was weaned on a steady diet of “edutainment” titles and text adventures (or interactive fiction) from Infocom; as I grew up, graphical adventures, RPGs, and RTSes followed, with BBS games and eventually MMOs dotting the landscape as well. I remember lots of things about those games — the characters, the people I met, the wondrous landscapes — but curiously, I can never recall how long I actually spent playing them. Sadly, I can’t say the same about newer games, and a recent CNN article by Blake Snow, titled “Why most people don’t finish video games,” shows I’m not alone.

Snow’s article attributes this to a number of factors — gamers getting older (the average age is now, wow, 37), a larger number of games flooding the market, and the exploding popularity of MMOs — and suggests that games will be getting shorter. That may help, but I think quality is a much more serious matter.

Even back in the mid 1980s, when PC gaming was still very much a niche industry, there were still tons of titles to choose from in all different genres and at all different prices. I didn’t mind spending a month or more on one, and I occasionally did, but I could always fire up a second or third to temporarily divert my attention if my eagerness began to flag. But my eagerness always did return, and I eventually worked through everything that mattered to me, whether the labyrinthine and exciting plots of Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny and The Magic Candle; the pixelated first-person monster clubbing of Might and Magic, Wizardry, and Dungeon Master; or the absorbing dystopian visions of A Mind Forever Voyaging (to this day, my favorite computer game). I can’t tell you how much time I spent on those games, whether the first time through or in countless replayings; it must have been a lot. Whatever it was, I was satisfied.

Neither is the case regularly anymore, as I’m reminded by the last couple of years of releases. Duke Nukem Forever, for example, was a true slog despite its relatively short playtime, with its labored attempts at freshness the ironic cause of its stale joylessness. In terms of games I couldn’t will myself to finish (which is really unusual for me): Metro 2033, set in the Moscow subway system, started off promising, but devolved quickly into just another “shoot at mutants” venture; and Crysis 2 was intermittently exciting, but lacked the rich atmosphere and sense of foreboding surprise of its forebear. More disappointing still was Civilization V, the latest chapter in perhaps the most addictive computer game series ever. I endured it for a few weeks, but its simplicity and dullness has ensured it’s been gathering digital dust ever since.

But my hunger for its predecessor, Civilization IV (released in 2007), has not diminished at all. The far more intricate and complex nature of its simulation make it something that’s remained on my computer for over four years and could easily survive another four. I’ve had similar relationships with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, BioShock and its sequel, Portal and its sequel, and Call of Duty: Black Ops — all games that captivated and energized me because they offered more than just standard-issue plots and game play, opting for new stories and new methods of telling them rather than reheated concepts that were getting creaky around the time I started gaming. I’ve played all of them more — and far longer into the night — than I should probably admit.

Sure, maybe a ten- or even five-hour main mission might help keep more gamers involved. But if developers are serious about their craft and their business, they need to examine more than merely playtime. Among the things worth considering:

If a game will be released on multiple platforms, does it take full advantage of each one or are there only minute differences that may frustrate players? Some of the PC ports of console titles I’ve seen have been, frankly, pathetic — a couple don’t even support mice, and force you to move through menus with the keyboard — with on-screen instructions that are inaccurate for the controls you’re using. Even if a native version isn’t a possibility, the player should always feel like he or she is playing one.

Is the game balanced? This has as much to do with content as it does difficulty; there needs to be a sense of consistency throughout that convinces the player the developers knew what they were doing. Mafia II was one of the most atmospheric FPSes I’ve played in a long time, but its intense shooting sequences were interrupted by some of the most drawn-out and dreary driving sequences ever. There’s nothing wrong with games covering a lot of ground, but they need to do so smartly.

Is there a good reason for the player to keep playing? Multiplayer modes take care of some of this, and should never be underestimated even if you prefer single-player games (as I do). But unlockable areas and downloadable content; expansive worlds populated with people, places, things, and events unique enough to bother seeking out (Oblivion was spectacular at this); and difficulty levels that add more than just frustration are more likely to keep couple coming back even once they’re “finished” than making the player feel worn out and worn down from just completing the main quest.

If the game has a story, is it followable and does it have interesting characters who contribute to it? There’s more to good writing than just piling on complexities. The player needs something to grab onto, and new places and one-dimensional situations being fired like a Gatling gun won’t do the trick. A real plot, with a real beginning, middle, and end, and preferably with continuity-friendly characters that contribute to it, will make the experience feel more realistic — and victory all the sweeter once it finally arrives. The BioShock games excelled at this, creating a stable of characters who all played vital roles in pushing the stories along, even though you almost never saw them.

Electronic gaming is still in its infancy, and exactly what its next steps will be is challenging to predict. Games will eventually end up like movies, I suspect, standardized around a certain length but with lots of variation depending on a certain title’s requirements. But if everyone, from the programmers to the players, stops worrying about how long games are and starts paying attention to how good they are, everything else will slip away and games will satisfy more people regardless of whether take ten or 100 hours to play thoroughly. After all, who ever talks about how long Citizen Kane is?

Tagged In

I can’t agree more. I’m still playing Supreme Commander but Supreme Commander 2 was so bad I stopped play in after a couple of days

http://profiles.google.com/ckriebel Colin Kriebel

I’m absolutely fine with FPS single player campaigns being only 6 to 12 hours, mainly because those games require me to be somewhat stressed & alert the whole time I’m playing (unless it’s on stupid-easy mode), so that gets tiring. Plus they generally have multiplayer if you want more – not my cup of tea but definitely added-value.

On the other hand I played Fallout 3 for 80 hours (over 100 hours with the DLC) on just one playthrough and still wanted more content. It was immersive & engrossing but relaxing at the same time.

I’ve seen the articles talking about how shorter games will be the norm, partly because people don’t finish games, so why bother? As usual they’re acting like there is a single solution for every game.

Some games should be shorter. Some should be as long as they’ve always been or even longer – totally depends on the genre and the individual game in question.

What we do need to get away from is filler. The library levels in Halo 1, most of the levels in Doom 3, etc. – don’t set an arbitrary length that the game “needs” to be, and if it genuinely is too short spend the time on real content not just re-runs & grinding.

I generally either finish a game or it’s just not a game I can get into so I never really get started. The only middle ground is games like the GTA series or Just Cause 2 where the game engine is super fun to play around in, but the actual game they build on top of that kind of sucks.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KDUIIJO5TLB76D5BJYR2IWHYY4 Jared

What we do need to get away from is filler. The library levels in Halo 1, most of the levels in Doom 3, etc. – don’t set an arbitrary length that the game “needs” to be, and if it genuinely is too short spend the time on real content not just re-runs & grinding.

I generally either finish a game or it’s just not a game I can get into so I never really get started. The only middle ground is games like the GTA series or Just Cause 2 where the game engine is super fun to play around in, but the actual game they build on top of that kind of sucks.

these two statements sum everything up perfectly

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KDUIIJO5TLB76D5BJYR2IWHYY4 Jared

What we do need to get away from is filler. The library levels in Halo 1, most of the levels in Doom 3, etc. – don’t set an arbitrary length that the game “needs” to be, and if it genuinely is too short spend the time on real content not just re-runs & grinding.

I generally either finish a game or it’s just not a game I can get into so I never really get started. The only middle ground is games like the GTA series or Just Cause 2 where the game engine is super fun to play around in, but the actual game they build on top of that kind of sucks.

these two statements sum everything up perfectly

Anonymous

I don’t mind shorter games, as long as they’re priced accordingly. I still seek immersion and having to deal with: 1) deathscreens 2) loadscreens 3) bad controls and 4) unnecessary difficulty spikes will kill off immersion.

Anonymous

I’d still play Shadowbane if it was still around. I loved Pool of Radiance too (even though it was kinda long) and Shadows of Amn. Even liked Rainbow Six, even tho I didn’t have a cool controller to use to kick butt with.

BTW, to the author: You have to be about the same age as me. Zork and Hitchhiker’s Guide were just so awesome.

David J. Fortier

Star Wars: KOTOR, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect 2 are all long games and I finished all of them multiple times, except ME2, and working on that. Diablo 1 & 2 and Titan Quest have decent stories for action/adventure games, and I played them several times over for mindless killing. Dungeon Siege 1 & 2, finished, wouldn’t play again. Torchlight, will never try to finish. I don’t bother with FPS often because there doesn’t seem like much point beyond simply advancing to the next area. Far Cry was decent because they had your girl, but Halo was kind of weak.

There has to be a reason to play, which is why I primarily play RPGs from trusted developers. I’ll try demos from new developers, but if the story doesn’t grab me in the first hour, delete.

Mass Effect and Portal 1 and 2 are the only recent games that made me want to finish and then play some more.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IOI77EYTXPNTV4UVKETQSW4XAU pbebwli ccefi

I just p a i d $21.87 for an i P a d 2-64GB and my boyfriend loves his Panasonîc Lumîx GF 1 Camera that we got for $38.76 there arriving tomorrow by UPS.I will never pay such expensive retail prices in stores again. Especially when I also sold a 40 inch LED TV to my boss for $657 which only cost me $62.81 to buy.
Here is the website we use to get it all from, http://bit.ly/AuctionPenny

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JSR4OF5RYF2MHIQ6RD7TX7XEOI lan_ops

My group of friends and I only play coop games. 2 player coop is fun, but you really need up to 6-8 players coop aqgainst the computer, running through the entire game. Online with 4 players, any fps becomes way more fun, especially when you get pinned down, and your other team flanks the enemy for you, instead of you just dieing as the enemy rushes you. I like smart AI that will send solider in around and behind you, while keeping you pinned down if you do not move strategically with your team.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KDUIIJO5TLB76D5BJYR2IWHYY4 Jared

co-op is awesome especially a good WWII or MW game would be awesome to play through a campaign with some friends….think of brothers in arms in co-op with 4 friends mauahahhaha

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KDUIIJO5TLB76D5BJYR2IWHYY4 Jared

co-op is awesome especially a good WWII or MW game would be awesome to play through a campaign with some friends….think of brothers in arms in co-op with 4 friends mauahahhaha

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K4Q44X2GHTRAIT42MBCOQSEONA Sarnaath

It’s somewhat a matter of personal taste too. I loved Metro 2033, have played it 3 times to the end. Despite enjoying Prototype though I have yet to finish it. Uncertain game mechanics (near the end of Prototype I’m following a car, do I have time to take out the enemies along the way at my relative leisure or will the car get away? dunno) and abrupt changes in game mechanics (the no-gravity section of the first Crysis almost did it in for me, hated that, and Shadows of the Damned’s switch to a 2D side scroller in sections has put that game on pause indefinitely) are more likely to lead me to drop a game. Uneven difficulty also puts me off – like Dragon Age for example, or Outland.

I’m not too excited about shorter games though. I don’t play multiplayer and paying $50-60 for 10 hours isn’t an acceptable value IMO.

If you are going to talk about boring you need to mention checkpoint saves. Replaying a section of a game over and over to get to the one part that’s causing me trouble (i.e. dying) is unbelievably boring and is probably then number one reason by far that I put off finishing a game indefinitely.

ofri carny

grate article, you really summarize my feelings about new video games that aren’t playable all the way through. like starcraft 2 for me it was starcraft HD, or fallout new Vegas – been there don that – .
if you didn’t play the witcher 2 yet i really recommend it, grate story long lasting game with awesome gameplay, sword fighting and graphics …

and for the classics among you: The Longest Journey – the best game i have ever played !

Video Games

The best game I ever played was and still is called: ‘Real Life’

You become a nutcase the longer you spend in your dungeon playing video games. Get outside, find a real hobby that is actually healthy.
Video games are simply not a healthy use of your time, plain and simple.

Rg32b

It’s quite difficult to re-invent the wheel.

When you’ve covered the genre from strategy to first person shooter games, what’s left? Maybe it just doesn’t give that kick anymore like it used to when it was a brand new experience.

Or, maybe you’ve been playing too much and need to try something different. Take an electronic break for a solid week or more and see how you feel.

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